The Kotlin vs Java debate is a new one, with each language having their own merits But what exactly makes them stand apart? That's what we aim to explore.

This post is an introduction to Kotlin for Android development. Learn how the language differs from Java and the basic syntax and layout.

Kotlin offers big advantages over Java for JVM and Android development, and plays nicely with Java in the same projects.

Officially released in 2016, Kotlin has attracted a lot of attention in recent years, especially since Google announced its support for Kotlin as an alternative to Java on Android platforms.

Kotlin is a hot programming language right now, and its eclipse of Java for Android mobile development might leave Visual Studio developers wondering how they can get in on the action.

So it looks like Android development with Kotlin might be better left to Google's default IDE, Android Studio. Luckily, there are plenty of resources to consult for Kotlin programming with that tool.

Google's Android Studio 3.0 dev environment has just become available in the stable channel, with built-in support for Kotlin and Java 8.

Android developers were already able to use Kotlin through a plug-in, but from now on it'll ship alongside Java and C++ with the official Android IDE.